Mercury chatter hammer



Aug. 6, 1968 J. E. BARDWELL MERCURY CHATTER HAMMER Filed OCt. 23, 1965 United States Patent O 3,395,767 MERCURY CHATTER HAMMER John E. Bardwell, 320 Providence Road,

Ballwin, Mo. 63011 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,339 4 Claims. (Cl. 175-293) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gravity drop churn drill including a chatter hammer or a standard drill bar in which is provided a longitudinal closed well having a predetermined amount of mercury or similar fiuids therein which is effective to add an almost simultaneous third blow with a chatter hammer and second blow with a standard drill bar in use of the drill.

The present invention relates to the drilling art, and more particularly to a novel structure for increasing the drilling action of multiple and single blow gravity drop churn drills.

Gravity drop churn drills have been employed for many years in the drilling of wells. Such drills are of the single or multiple blow types. The applicant has devised structure to increase the effectiveness of both types.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel gravity drop drill which is more effective than presently existing single and multiple blow drills.

In brief, the present novel structure comprises a chatter hammer, or a standard drill stem or bar, having a well therein in which is disposed a predetermined amount of mercury or similar fluids. The mercury is sealed against escape and may have a little free space to accentuate the extreme fiuidity of the material.

Hence, another object is to provide a gravity drop drill incorporating means whereby each drilling cycle effects greater penetration than a drill without this structure.

Another object is to provide a novel structure for gravity drop churn drills to increase the drilling effectiveness thereof, which can be readily employed, which can be installed as part of original equipment or added thereto in the course of repair, or the like, which is relatively inexpensive, which requires no maintenance, which adds nothing to the skill required of an operator handling the drill, and which otherwise fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES l and 2 comprise a side elevational -view of a chatter hammer drill, parts being in section for illustration of details and a portion being broken away for conservation of space, incorporating the present invention; and

FIGURES 3 and 4 comprise a side elevational view of a standard drill incorporating an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings more particularly Iby reference numerals, indicates generally a percussion hammer drill incorporating the teachings of the present invention. Broadly, the drill 10 includes a casing 12, an anvil unit 14, a rope socket or jar attaching unit 16, a hammer unit 18, a heavy compression spring 20, and an upper 'bearing 22 and a lower bearing 24 for the hammer unit 18.

The rope socket or jar attaching unit 1-6 is of solid construction and of the configuration shown in the drawings, a portion 26 thereof extending into the top of the casing 12 and being welded thereto circumferentially at 3,395,767 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 ICC 28. A portion 30 threadedly receives a cable, a jar, or cable attachment unit, not shown.

The anvil unit 14 is also of solid construction and of the configuration shown in the drawings, a portion 32 thereof extending upwardly into the casing 12 and is shrunk tted and welded thereto circumferentially at 34. An integral anvil cap 36 extends upwardly from the anvil portion 32 within a debris chamber 38. A threaded bit socket 40 removably receives a bit of selected design.

The hammer unit 18 includes a heavy elongated cylindrical body 42, an upper reduced integral cylindrical portion 44 which reciprocates within the bearing 22, and a lower reduced cylindrical integral portion 46 which reciprocates in the lower bearing 24. The compression spring 20 surrounds the hammer portion 46 above the bearing 24, said spring 20 abutting the shoulder at the juncture of the main body portion 42 and the reduced portion 46 and the top end of the lbearing 24, as is clear from FIGURES 2 and 3. The faces of the anvil cap 36 and the hammer portion 46 are hardened.

A well 50 is bored longitudinally of the hammer unit 18, extending upwardly through the reduced portion 46 and into the body portion 42, if desired. The well 50 may extend downwardly through the upper portion 44. A threaded plug 52 closes the well S0. Mercury 54 at a high te-mperature, or an equivalent fluid, is placed in the well 50 and sealed with the plug 52 while hot to provide a little space after the mercury 54 cools. For some structures the mercury 54 is not heated prior to pouring.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 is illustrated a standard drill 60 which includes the usual pin 62, a drill stern 64, and a box section y66. The drill stem 64 is a solid bar having a recess at each end receiving, respectively, the pin 62 and the box section y66 which are secured in position by welding 68.

A well 70 is bored into the drill stem 64 from either end, the drawing illustrating the well 70 as extending upwardly from the bottom end of the drill stem 64. Mercury 72 heated to a high temperature is poured into the well 70 and sealed while hot with a plug 74. As the mercury 72 cools, a little space is provided which accentuates the effect of the mercury 72.

It is well known that mercury is both highly fluid and heavy. Hence, in the use of the drill 10 or 60, the mercury 54 or 72 will continue its effort to move downwardly after the hammer unit 18 or the drill 60 strikes its blo-w. The effect with the drill 10` is an almost simultaneous third blow and with the drill 60 an almost simultaneous second blow. In both instances, the earth penetration per cycle is increased.

The depth and diameter of the wells 50 and 70, and, hence, the amount of mercury 54 and 72 employed will vary Ifor different weights, sizes, and use of drills and drill assemblies.

It is apparent that there has been provided a novel structure for increasing the drilling effect of gravity drop churn drills which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the ele-ments, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a gravity drop drill including a heavy elongated member, and fiuid within said elongated member effective upon drop of the drill to increase the drilling rate of said drill by striking a substantially simul- 3 taneous additional blow on the earth engaging end of the drill.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said elongated member includes a well, and said uid is mercury, and the like, sealed in said well and forming an effective striking column when the drill is in use.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which said drill is a chatter hammer drill, said elongated member is a reciprocable hammer, and said fluid is a column of mercury, and the like effective to strike an additional blow.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which said elongated member is a column of a drill bar and said iluid is mercury, and the like effective t0 strike an additional blow.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Koeln 175-299 Green 175-299 Kerr 145-29 Mitchell 173-126 X Schultz 175-73 Jones et al. 175--299 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

R. E. FAVREAU, Assistant Examiner'. 

